A warm bath is a great way to get clean and feel refreshed, but more importantly, baths can be excellent stress relievers. In the same way that endorphins are released when we feel sunlight on our skin, warm water can also induce feelings of calmness and happiness. Blood flow moves towards the skin when it feels warm water, which can be physically and mentally therapeutic. Studies have shown that taking a warm bath can improve breathing, lower blood pressure, and even burn calories. One of the easiest ways to get even more out of your bath is by adding bath salts.
Bath salts, which are typically made using Epsom salts, are designed to treat several common skin and body issues. Using bath salts can help treat constipation and hemorrhoids, soothe tired and aching muscles, reduce inflammation and relieve pain from arthritis. Bath salts may also help treat several skin issues, including dry and itchy skin, psoriasis, eczema or athlete’s foot. When paired with essential oils, bath salts can have a calming effect, promoting relaxation and helping to mentally and emotionally prepare the bather for a restful night of sleep.
Bath salts can be used in the bathtub, as well as in a foot soak or in the shower. By mixing bath salts with olive oil, coconut oil, or almond oil, users can create a paste that can be applied and washed off in the shower.
Whether you are using bath salts to add a scent to your bathing routine or to help treat physical issues, there are plenty of effective bath salts to choose from that will help bathers relax. Check out our top picks below.
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1. SaltWorks Ultra Epsom Bath Salt
BEST OVERALL
For a bath salt that will help you relax mentally and physically, we like the SaltWorks Ultra Epsom Bath Salt. Users will benefit from the bath salt’s aromatherapy thanks to the 100% natural lavender essential oil included in the salt. SaltWorks use USP grade Epsom salt and magnesium sulfate which helps to relax and repair aching joints and muscles. Made in the US, SaltWorks helps to soften the skin and leaves users feeling calmer and more relaxed thanks to the Lavender scent.
2. Epsoak Epsom Salt
BEST FOR MUSCLE RECOVERY
For users with sensitive skin who need help with sore muscles and joints, we like the Epson salt from Epsoak. The magnesium sulfate is USP grade and free from GMOs. The salt helps to flush out toxins, detoxify the skin, relax aching joints and muscles, and can have positive benefits for those who suffer from constipation. Unlike most bath salts, Epsoak is made without essential oils and is completely unscented, making it a great option for users with skin or scent sensitivities. The salt dissolves quickly in warm water, making it a great option for users to want to take a fast bath or shower to help relieve any physical ailments.
3. Dr Teal’s Epsom Salt Bath Soaking Solution with Ginger and Clay
BEST FOR ENERGIZING
Dr Teal is one of the most recognizable names in bath salts and for good reason. The company makes a wide range of liquid and flaky bath salts that help to restore and repair tired and sore muscles, while also creating a relaxing environment for the bather. Made with pure Epsom salt and USP grade magnesium sulfate, Dr Teals ginger and clay bath salt is designed to detoxify and energize the bather. Ginger is packed with antioxidants that help to flush out toxins and encourage blood circulation, while clay can absorb excess oil, helping to naturally fight acne.
4. Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment
BEST FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
It’s pretty difficult to think about anything else when your skin is aggravated. That’s why we like the Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment, which helps to naturally treat several common and oftentimes painful skin conditions. Using natural colloidal oatmeal as its main ingredient, the mild and fragrance-free bath treatment helps to treat skin that is itchy, red, irritated, rough, dry, and even skin that is covered in a rash. The Aveeno bath treatment is appropriate for chronic skin conditions like eczema and hives, or temporary issues like chickenpox, sunburns, insect bites and poison ivy. When your skin is relaxed, so are you.
5. Solimo Epsom Salt Soaking Aid
BEST VALUE
For bath salts that can relax and reinvigorate the user, we like the Solimo Epsom Salt Soaking Aid. The bath salts are made with Eucalyptus Globulus leaf oil, which can help clear nasal congestion and inflammation, as well as and Mentha Viridis (spearmint) leaf oil, which features antioxidants and can help to naturally relieve stress. The magnesium sulfate can help to soothe sore muscles and Solimo offers their bath salts in several fragrances, including an unscented option.
6. Sleep Lavender Bath Salts by San Francisco Salt Company
BEST FOR INDUCING SLEEP
We often give babies and toddlers a bath near their bedtime as a way to help them relax and prepare for a restful night of sleep. The same idea works for adults. The San Francisco Salt Company has a wide range of bath salts, including their lavender-scented option that is designed to help relax users and induce sleep. Using fine and medium grain sea salts that have been scented with lavender essential oil, the scent of the bath salt helps to naturally soothe users. Made without parabens, phthalates, and SLS, the lavender bath salt leaves skin feeling softer and relaxes muscles and joints.
7. Tree Hut Detoxifying Mediterranean Salt Soak
MOST HYDRATING
Sitting in a hot bath can sometimes leave skin feeling dry, which is why we like the Tree Hut Detoxifying Mediterranean Salt Soak. Using 100% pure natural shea butter, which has intense hydrating qualities, skin feels refreshed and moisturized after each use. A great option for cracked skin, the Tree Hut bath salt also includes fig extract, olive oil, and activated charcoal, which together add to the product’s moisturizing abilities. The bath salt is made without the use of parabens and harmful chemicals, which can make skin feel dry.
8. Better Bath Sitz Bath Soak
BEST FOR MEDICAL CARE
There’s no sexy way to say this – hemorrhoids happen, and they are painful and uncomfortable and embarrassing. While this bath salt likely won’t make users more willing to talk about their problems down under in public, it will help to relieve pain and discomfort that can be caused by hemorrhoids. These natural bath salts are made without chemicals, additives and SLSAs, which could all aggravate hemorrhoids and broken skin. What the bath salts do have are pure and natural essential oils, including Geranium, Frankincense, Niaouli, Juniper, and Lavender, which help to soothe skin and relax the bather. Vitamin C crystals are also included to help neutralize the bathwater. The USP grade bath salts are packaged in a resealable BPA free bag, making it easy to store the sitz bath and add bath salts any time your skin needs some TLC.
9. Pink Stork Pregnancy Flakes
BEST FOR PREGNANT WOMEN
Hot baths are one of the many things that pregnant women have to avoid, but a lukewarm bath is safe and can be a great way to help relax a changing body. The Pink Stork Pregnancy Flakes do more than just induce feelings of relaxation, they also help to treat morning sickness and reduce aches and pains by using pure magnesium sea salt. The 100% organic bath salts are made without any common allergens and help to decrease stress, improve sleep quality, promote blood circulation and are completely scent-free, which is good news for pregnant women or anyone who is sensitive to scent.